Pupils are suspended after school shootings with ball-bearing guns

TWO pupils have been disciplined after two shooting incidents at a Scottish secondary school.

The students were excluded after shots were fired from ball-bearing guns at fellow pupils and a teacher in separate attacks within the space of a week.

A fourth-year pupil at Jedburgh Grammar School in the Borders fired pellets at a teacher as he was walking away from a group of students earlier this month.

Two days later, a third-year student was charged with two minor assaults and referred to the Children's Reporter after shooting at two pupils with pellets on a communal stairway within the school.

Neither pupil was injured in the incident, and the gun was confiscated by police officers.

Swift action was taken by staff at the smallest secondary school in the Borders with a roll of just over 400 pupils.

Scottish Borders Council's head of schools services (east), Jackie Swanston, said: "These incidents were taken very seriously and in partnership with the police and SBC staff, the headteacher and his staff took various steps to ensure that the whole school community was made aware of the seriousness of these incidents.

"The headteacher spoke with all S3 pupils and sent out messages to all parents to reiterate the school's position that any replica guns or indeed other such items are strictly prohibited and would be reported to the police.

"The two pupils have now been through the re-admission process and are back at school where their conduct is being monitored."

Roxburgh and Berwickshire MSP John Lamont, who is also the Scottish Conservative justice spokesman, said the incidents were "worrying".

He said: "However, I know that schools do their best to provide a safe environment for our children and can only do so much to prevent behaviour like this.

"It is primarily the responsibility of parents to take responsibility for their children's behaviour.

"Thankfully, incidents like this are extremely rare in the Borders and let's hope things stay that way.

"In this case, the headteacher should be praised for taking swift action to deal with the culprits."